iPhone Emulators on the App Store: Game Boy, N64, PS1, PSP, and More

[mrat93]

I'd say let's meet in the middle. I agree that not all retro games would likely see a massive paying audience, but some of the old Nintendo classics would certainly play very well on a Smartphone and I could see people pay for their copy of classic Mario.

It's of course entirely possible that I misread the situation, but I do think there'd be a market for at least some of it.

My crazy conspiracy is that Apple and Nintendo have been in talks for several years on the matter. Whether it be regarding preventing emulators on the App Store, or business partnerships. Maybe Apple wanted to buy Nintendo or exclusive rights to their games on iOS and stay in their good graces.

The sudden allowing of emulators tells me that something went south and that there is no more deal to be had. I just don’t believe that the EU decision or worldwide legal pressure alone pressured Apple into allowing emulators.

This all culminates in Nintendo releasing retro first-party titles on iOS and Android before the end of 2025. You heard it here first.

 

[nathansz]

I have no interest in playing games on a phone but great to see retro arch is already on the tvOS store and provenance is coming

I’ve been using provenance for awhile but it’s a pain to resign once a week and saves get lost

What I’d really love to see is openemu do a tvOS app

 

[slynger]

i might have to learn how to get the game. I only need a few of the classics and I’d be set.

 

[nathansz]

This all culminates in Nintendo releasing retro first-party titles on iOS and Android before the end of 2025. You heard it here first.

Needs to be tvOS

Playing console (or to my mind any) games on a phone sucks

I want to sit back on the couch and play

 

[fel10]

I just wish I new how to add the games

 

[nathansz]

OpenEmu was an absolutely beautiful piece of software

OpenEmu is the gold standard of emulator front end software

I really really wish for them to do a tvOS app

There was a time when a Mac mini was always my set top box but that’s long since been supplanted by Apple tv

 

[mithrandil]

No Amiga emulator… yet.

vAmigaWeb Amiga emulator iPad iPhone

cycle exact Amiga emulator in html5 / javascript. This Amiga emulator is compatible to the progressive-web-app (PWA) standard.

vAmigaWeb.github.io

install as home screen app with safari->share->add to homescreen

 

[maruyama]

Need to go to settings > frame throttle and enable "sync to exact content framerate" or it will run too fast.

That worked like a charm, thank you! It didn’t just fix the speed; the audio is now perfect as well.

James Pond 2: Robocod is just like I remember it. 😊

 

[Apple Fan 2008]

Delta is pretty awesome.

 

[mrat93]

Needs to be tvOS

Playing console (or to my mind any) games on a phone sucks

I want to sit back on the couch and play

Agreed, but given ATV’s sad history with gaming, somehow it wouldn’t shock me if they omitted it.

 

[Webcat86]

Where are good places to get the actual game files from? I've download RetroArch

 

[jdoyle]

MAME please

Edit: Actually wouldn't mind OpenEMU which works really well on a Mac to find its way to iOS. I love the fact that you can download "cores" to enable gameplay from different retro consoles/etc.

Yes I need MAME! OpenEMU with a MAME Core loaded will do. I wonder why Retro Arch for iOS can't load a MAME core?

 

[svish]

Glad to see that now there are various emulators on the App store.

 

[younso]

How do I import a .iso or .cso file to be able to use PPSSPP?

 

[kazumi]

Don't forget Mac emulators, which run even better.

 

[purplerainpurplerain]

Yes I need MAME! OpenEMU with a MAME Core loaded will do. I wonder why Retro Arch for iOS can't load a MAME core?

MAME games often require a bios or driver packs.

 

[purplerainpurplerain]

Where are good places to get the actual game files from? I've download RetroArch

Planet emu France is the only one you can trust won’t hit you with mega viruses.

 

[biffuz]

Give me a DOS emulator and I'll keep the office bathroom occupied for 8 hours.

 

[Webcat86]

Give me a DOS emulator and I'll keep the office bathroom occupied for 8 hours.

RetroArch has one included

 

[Muzzakus]

Apple always has to put some BS roadblock in place.

 

[colmaclean]

It's a shame the RetroArch devs have no intention of supporting network shares, rather than having to manage uploading ROMs to my Apple TV (where storage space is not huge).

 

[MasterControlProgram]

MAME please

Edit: Actually wouldn't mind OpenEMU which works really well on a Mac to find its way to iOS. I love the fact that you can download "cores" to enable gameplay from different retro consoles/etc.

MAME is coming but the latest news is Apple rejected it for spam. 🙄

Do you have any plans to release the MAME emulator on the App Store? · Issue #457 · yoshisuga/MAME4iOS

@yoshisuga Nowadays, emulator apps are allowed to release on the App Store, like iGBA, are you going to release this App on the App Store?

github.com

 

[Webcat86]

Planet emu France is the only one you can trust won’t hit you with mega viruses.

Maybe I'm being a dunce, how do I actually download? I want this game, is the file elsewhere?

 

[purplerainpurplerain]

Maybe I'm being a dunce, how do I actually download? I want this game, is the file elsewhere?

Click on recherche and type the title and it will go straight to the links you need.

 

[Webcat86]

Click on recherche and type the title and it will go straight to the links you need.

Ah perfect, thanks! Now just to figure out how to use the emulator, it isn't particularly user friendly — I've got the game on the iPad, at least.